Insult because of price

[rabihumakhan]

OK this buyer a few days back comes and asks me if I'm available to helping him write  a philosophy article for his website as his 'mission' is to 'spread' the sanity and 'logic' all over the world and reduce 'differences'. 

I said sure (as philosophy is something I've been reading for years). Then it came down to pricing; his requirements were 2000 words with proper research and citations, critical analysis of a philosophic project and comparing a western philosophy to an eastern philosophy. 

 

I told him I would charge 125$ and will need a week cause I am already working on a few other projects. 

He said its OK to take a week but he would only pay 10$ cause the average salary in Pakistan was 400$ a month and that I shouldn't pose like he doesn't know anything about my country. 

I politely replied: my friend, this platform doesn't belong to Pakistan, we are on an international business platform and I don't charge you for being a Pakistani but for being a writer you told me you were sold out on her description and the reviews she received from previous customers. 

 

BLOCKED! but it hurts to see people who you wouldn't want to work with at cheap prices would insult you and your nationality/ country! 

[animation_spot]

8 hours ago, rabihumakhan said:

OK this buyer a few days back comes and asks me if I'm available to helping him write  a philosophy article for his website as his 'mission' is to 'spread' the sanity and 'logic' all over the world and reduce 'differences'. 

I said sure (as philosophy is something I've been reading for years). Then it came down to pricing; his requirements were 2000 words with proper research and citations, critical analysis of a philosophic project and comparing a western philosophy to an eastern philosophy. 

 

I told him I would charge 125$ and will need a week cause I am already working on a few other projects. 

He said its OK to take a week but he would only pay 10$ cause the average salary in Pakistan was 400$ a month and that I shouldn't pose like he doesn't know anything about my country. 

I politely replied: my friend, this platform doesn't belong to Pakistan, we are on an international business platform and I don't charge you for being a Pakistani but for being a writer you told me you were sold out on her description and the reviews she received from previous customers. 

 

BLOCKED! but it hurts to see people who you wouldn't want to work with at cheap prices would insult you and your nationality/ country! 

Don't worry it's a big luck for you, because i think he is not a good buyer and here we are one & named as freelancer 

[rabihumakhan]

16 minutes ago, visualstudios said:

YES. So much this. There's a reason why I never work with Portuguese clients - they think they can pay me Portuguese rates just because I'm located in Portugal. My friend, there's a reason why I'm working online. And it is precisely because the Portuguese market sucks. Tough luck.

Thanks for the good words. Your post boosts my confidence. I would never single out a country/region because I had some prejudices on my mind before getting started on here about a specific country. I thought buyers from that country might subvert my reputation but then my asinine hat had to drop, haha. I got most of my buyers from that specific country who were so much professional and respectful towards me. They did never ask me for lowering my rates or something and straight up paid me  whatever I asked for. 

Another thing that hindered me from joining fiverr for almost a year was me being a woman; I thought I might get abused and even harassed but nothing happened so far. 

Cheers.  

[visualstudios]

10 minutes ago, rabihumakhan said:

Another thing that hindered me from joining fiverr for almost a year was me being a woman

If you're worried, don't ask don't tell. I had no idea you were a woman until you said it, so...

As for the country thing... I do single out certain countries/regions in terms of buyers, because I've been harassed by spammers quite a bit, and they're always from a select group of countries. If I see a certain country listed on a buyer's profile, I know that conversation is very likely not to go anywhere.

There's also a small group of countries that contributes to 90% of crap sellers on the platform. If you are serious and live in one of those countries, your life will be harder because of it. It's obviously not fair, but it is what it is.

[rabihumakhan]

4 hours ago, visualstudios said:

There's also a small group of countries that contributes to 90% of crap sellers on the platform. If you are serious and live in one of those countries, your life will be harder because of it. It's obviously not fair, but it is what

Well, I didn't know that.  I hope our country doesn't fall under this radar; however if it does, I would still continue delivering the quality work that I could feel proud of. 

One thing that I've learned in online freelancing is that  your nationality, creed, religion, or gender ain't count until you're the best at whatever you do. 

Anyways, I find your point of view realistic, interesting, and logical. Would certainly follow things that I learned here from you. 

[rabihumakhan]

5 hours ago, animation_spot said:

Don't worry it's a big luck for you, because i think he is not a good buyer and here we are one & named as freelancer 

That's what I thought as well. Though, I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt but when it comes down to dragging 125$ to 10$, a big no from me. 

I can't compromise on the money, it's tasty lol. I can order large size pizza if I get good price for my work, xD. 

[visualstudios]

5 minutes ago, rabihumakhan said:

I hope our country doesn't fall under this radar;

Unfortunately, it does. Of course you are an exception, and are not responsible for it, but I can just send you a screenshot of my spam folder and it will become painfully obvious. I've never had a "seller" from the US or the UK sending me messages begging for work. And I've gotten enough messages that it just can't be a fluke, it's statistically relevant.

[yolobytesotos]

You are offering value to him/her, don't get yourself worried about that, a buyer that sees the value you offering will pay you for it.

[rabihumakhan]

19 minutes ago, visualstudios said:

Unfortunately, it does. Of course you are an exception, and are not responsible for it, but I can just send you a screenshot of my spam folder and it will become painfully obvious. I've never had a "seller" from the US or the UK sending me messages begging for work. And I've gotten enough messages that it just can't be a fluke, it's statistically relevant.

Oh true and I agree. I had also been contacted by one person asking me to outsource my work and also 'teach' him what and how to do. 

But as 'online freelancers', we all represent ourselves and not our community. 

I fail to understand how regurgitating prawns here and there will get them work/orders? 

 

 

[gina_riley2]

2 minutes ago, rabihumakhan said:

But as 'online freelancers', we all represent ourselves and not our community. 

Unfortunately, if you are from a country with a bad reputation, people may judge you unfairly.

One of the best whiteboard animator who does 100% original work is out of Nigeria. Having worked with him before (prices are high, but worth every penny), he's a true professional who delivers nothing but the best.

The thing is, I have to wonder how many buyers many have overlooked him simply because of his country of origin? They're missing out.

For every scammer that swindled, cheats or scams, it reflects poorly on the community, country and nationality.

[rabihumakhan]

5 minutes ago, gina_riley2 said:

For every scammer that swindled, cheats or scams, it reflects poorly on the community, country and nationality.

A silhouette, no? 

Instead of ameliorating the untrammelled entry process, fiverr is getting in more and more each minute to swindle, and cheat legitimate buyers, pathetic. And top upon that, a huge congregation would be drooling over established sellers as well. 

 

[visualstudios]

19 hours ago, rabihumakhan said:

Instead of ameliorating the untrammelled entry process

Jesus, did you swallow a thesaurus? XD

[rabihumakhan]

Yes I did. 

Lol, it is necessary for a writer to have a good grasp on the language and vocabulary.  

There are clients who some time demand for 'alien's' vocabulary.  

[visualstudios]

8 hours ago, rabihumakhan said:

Yes I did. 

Lol, it is necessary for a writer to have a good grasp on the language and vocabulary.  

Yes, and that means saying things clearly, not obfuscating for obfuscation's sake. As Hemingway so eloquently put it, “Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don’t know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use.”

It's the KISS principle - make things as simple as they can be, but not simpler. A writer's job is to be understood!

[vickiespencer]

8 hours ago, rabihumakhan said:

 

Lol, it is necessary for a writer to have a good grasp on the language and vocabulary.  

I always taught my students not to use a word if they could not do so appropriately. 
 

Writing to be understood by the intended audience is the important job of a writer.

[rabihumakhan]

7 minutes ago, vickiespencer said:

always taught my students not to use a word if they could not do so appropriately. 
 

Great to know you're a teacher! 

Nice to meet you, Vikiespencer